It was a pleasant surprise for me to witness the return of House Martins and Swallows in numbers. They were hawking over the car parks, Long Meadow, and we met again over the Aviaries Woodland and at the castle. There was plenty of chattering as they flew presumably beginning their feeding up on flying insects prior to migration. I estimated up to one hundred of these migrants were in the sky at one point.
In the Aviaries Wood it was rather dark and humid this morning. I could hear insects hovering above in the tree canopy. White round Snowberries appeared on this shrub that had been part of the Victoria Planting scheme. I picked up the musky scent of Fox near a clump of Pendulous Sedge.
Looking through the trees out to Durlston Bay I focused on a white bird in flight. Not a Gannet but a Little Egret progressing west.
Rounding Durlston Head the wind rippled the sea and tickled the protruding stems of Tamarisk. Growing up and through the Tamarisk were Sea Aster stems in flower. Succulent Rock Samphire grew beside and out of the coastal drystone wall. Old Man’s Beard had delicate eyelash like flower remains were seen. Briefly I heard the conversation of the crew on the Sloop called “2ND Wind”. Marine vessel today tended to head west. From the observation point I saw a Shag fly in to the west whilst to the east two such birds perched
Unusually I spotted four individual tents pitched on Tilly Whim ledge. In fact it was the clothes and bonfire I noted first. So the young men were awaken and politely asked to leave with putting themselves or others at risk.
Walking up the diagonal path I glanced into the goat plot to see a Roe Deer looking back. She crossed the open plot freezing four times before finally bounding into the safe cover.
Well my visitor observation survey recorded three joggers and two separate dog walking parties this morning. I was glad to change from a fleece to a t-shirt.